publié le 26.10.2011
Work, other obligations and life have kept me away from the Occupy Montreal camp at Square-Victoria since late last week. I’ve kept up with the virtual stuff but it just isn’t the same as live conversations. I’m hoping to get back there today.
The following three images are from the camp’s fringes, they are of people going about with their lives, waiting for the bus, waiting for someone outside the metro, just enjoying the great « skatebility » of some parts of the park.
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
publié le 19.10.2011
Potluck of photographs of the first three days of the Occupy Montreal movement … on Saturday people arrived, got organized and spread to message to anyone who would listen. Early Sunday morning was cold and I got the sense that people where mostly trying to keep warm, busy and waiting to see where this would go. Monday morning was the first day of work and some of the protesters where up early to greet the people.
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
So far, I’m not convinced this movement can change much more than the hearts and minds of people that show up and listen, BUT if they get involved later on, not just in the movement but in their communities and society at large, things will start changing.
« Politics is a strong and slow boring of hard boards. It requires passion as well as perspective. Certainly all historical experience confirms that man would not have achieved the possible unless time and again he had reached out for the impossible. » – Max Weber
publié le 08.07.2010
After the debacle that was the G20 summit (and a hell of a lot of other political stupidities this year), I wasn’t really feeling the Canada Day spirit this July 1st … my plan was to sit on the couch all day drinking non-canadian beer while contemplating emigrating.
Turns out there was a last minute demonstration planned to denounce police tactics in Toronto. I don’t usually run after or show up to these things but I thought that the fact that it was scheduled on Canada Day was a pretty nice statement from the people to the government.
Instead of doing nothing or bruiting or going to a lame-ass parade downtown, a lot of people (90% angry teens) gathered at Square St-Louis, they huffed and puffed a bit, took to the streets which the Montreal police cleared for them while keeping a respectful distance. The unplanned march went peacefully up St-Denis and St-Laurent streets for an hour or so while shopkeepers and shoppers looked on.
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
publié le 05.01.2010
Last week (I don’t quite remember where), I read a caption for a picture that stated that a region was hit with 5cm of snow and temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius. I’m guessing the photographer lives in warm climates.
These two pictures are from this past Sunday. Montreal received around 10 centimeters of snow and it was a balmy -10 degrees Celcius. Normal weather for bike rides, jogging with the dog or a peaceful demonstration downtown.
© Patrick Alonso
© Patrick Alonso
